Alone At Christmas
by gl2004
Summary: As happy as the winter holidays are to so many people, there are certainly those who do not have somebody with whom to share the joy of the season. This story is devoted to anybody who's ever been lonely at Christmas.
1. Chapter 1

Alone at Christmas

Author's Note: This is going to be short, three chapters, none of them particularly long. I just wanted to say now that this is quite possibly the last story I will be posting on I'm (hopefully) moving to provided they accept my application. As it is devoted to certain relationships, should I write a story which is not necessarily devoted to a relationship, as I am wont to do, it will most likely be posted here. More info next week, in my next post.

Harry turned up the collar of his cloak as the biting wind brushed past him, giving him a nice slap in the face as it passed. There were few people in Diagon Alley, especially it being so close to Christmas, but it was late, and there was a blizzard on its way. The snow had already begun, and Harry knew that Hermione would probably yell at him for having gone out in this weather with just his cloak, but he couldn't bear the idea of going home. No, he couldn't bear the idea of going back to his flat. Home seemed like an alien concept to him now. His flat certainly wasn't home. Not anymore.

He considered it home for a time, but Cassandra had long since left him. He had thought she was happy. He certainly had been. But apparently there was something missing, because she seemed to be much happier with…what was his name? Jonathan or John or something like that.

He had been absolutely crushed when she left him. He didn't get out of bed for days, and didn't leave his flat for weeks. Ron and Hermione had been there for him every day, and it helped a bit. Hermione had a talk with their boss, the head Auror, and got him to let Harry off on leave for awhile, and even managed to get a bit of leave for herself as well so she could be there for him. Ron was unable to get time off, but in the end it was just as well. He had had some relationship problems, but he hadn't been so unceremoniously dumped by a girlfriend of three years. He didn't understand, and what's more, he knew it. He was there to offer his support, and he knew that Harry was hurting, but he hadn't had the pain. What's more, he knew it. Harry was grateful for his presence, but he didn't quite know what to say, and conversations with him (such as they were, for Harry didn't feel much like talking) always ended in awkward silences. Harry would say something about Cassandra, and Ron wouldn't know what to say. Hermione, on the other hand, knew exactly what he was going through. Four years before, she had caught her boyfriend with another woman in the apartment they shared. Unable to live in that apartment anymore, she had moved in with Harry for a few months until she could cope with living on her own again. She understood Harry's pain, and knew when he needed to talk, and when he needed to be alone, and when silent support was needed. He would be forever grateful to Hermione, and would never forget what she did for him, just by being there for him.

Now, however, all he could think of was his still-empty heart and the pain that he still couldn't shake. Through a window, Harry saw a couple in Flourish and Blotts. They were laughing about something, but as the laughter subsided, there was no awkward silence. There was only a shared smile, one that only came of true happiness. He remembered it well. He had once possessed one. Not today though.

He pushed on through the snow towards his flat. It still held memories of Cassandra, of happiness, and of pain. A deep and pain-weary sigh pushed its way from Harry's chest as he thought back to what awaited him back at his flat. Another Christmas alone.


	2. Chapter 2

Alone at Christmas

Author's note: Now, I'm not somebody who needs reviews to keep me going, but it's frustrating to me to see that this story has more than 90 hits, and only one review. I like to hear what you think of my writing. I always want to improve as an author, and I can't do that without feedback. Please tell me what you think. I welcome constructive criticism.

As Harry entered his flat, he heard somebody doing something in the kitchen. He pushed his despair aside for a moment and drew his wand from its holster. He edged quietly towards the kitchen doorway, and whirled around quickly into the kitchen, wand pointed straight at…Hermione. He lowered his wand.

"Hello, Harry," she said without looking up. She was supervising his dishes washing themselves. Harry had a bit of a tendency to leave the dishes until either he was out of dishes, or there was something quite nasty growing on them, or sometimes both, and Hermione would still drop in on him to see how he was coming along, so sometimes she did it for him, and sometimes she would push him to do it.

"I just dropped in to see how you were doing," she said as she looked up. The smile that had been resting on her face got shoved off rather hard, and a scowl rested in its place. "Harry," she said, disappointment hanging on the edge of her tone.

Harry instantly felt guilty. He never quite understood why disappointment was worse than anger, but there it was.

"Harry, what were you thinking?" Hermione brushed Harry's cheek with her hand, and gasped. "You're freezing!" She unfastened Harry's cloak and hung it over her forearm. "Get yourself into a hot shower!" Before he could protest, she turned him around and began pushing him in the direction of the bathroom. "Now!"

When Harry emerged from the shower, wearing his bathrobe, Hermione was sitting on the sofa in his sitting room, looking upset. Harry sat next to her.

"Harry, you know how I feel about you going outside with just your cloak in this weather. We've been through this." She put her arms around him and drew him into a hug. "I care about you, Harry, but I need you to care about yourself a little more." She held him at arm's length. "So how are you doing?"

Harry shrugged. "I suppose I'm doing okay. It's kind of hard to be alone right now."

"Oh, honey, you're not alone," said Hermione, giving him a sympathetic look. "You've always got me, and Ron. You know that."

Harry shrugged. "I understand what you're trying to do, Hermione, but it's not quite the same."

"I know," said Hermione, pulling Harry into a hug. "But we'll be here for you. You're never alone. If you need me, anytime, just drop by. If I'm at work, they'll know how to reach me. If I have to, I'll call in sick in the middle of the day. You're my top priority, Harry. Anything. I mean it."

"I appreciate it, Hermione," said Harry.

"Now, if I know you, you went out because you're feeling down, and you needed to clear your head. Am I right?"

"Yeah," said Harry softly. He reflected that Hermione really did know him better than anybody else. He was lucky to have her. "It's getting on close to Christmas, and I just can't stop thinking about Cassandra. It's…it's a rough time of year for me." He ran his hand through his hair. "I'm just having trouble dealing with the fact that I'm spending another Christmas alone."

"Harry, I don't want you to be alone on Christmas. Ron and I were planning on getting together on Christmas Eve, just the three of us. I was going to invite you today, and it seems like that was pretty good timing." She put her arm around his shoulders supportively. "I know it's not the same, but you'll be with people who love you."

"Thanks, Hermione. I'll be there."

Hermione stood up, and pulled Harry up with her. She wrapped her arms around him and held him in a tight hug. He put his arms around her, and leaned his head on her shoulder, and they stood there silently for quite awhile.

When Hermione finally left that evening, Harry was feeling better. He wasn't feeling quite as depressed as before, and she had given him a book she had just finished that she knew he'd like. When he closed the door behind Hermione, he realized that for the first time in quite awhile, he had something to look forward to.


	3. Chapter 3

Alone at Christmas

December 24th

Harry appeared with a crack in front of Hermione's door. He rang her doorbell, and looked out the hall window. The snow was falling so hard, he wondered how he would have ever gotten here if he couldn't apparate. Visibility was horrible for flying, and the snow was far too deep to walk.

"Welcome, Harry," said Hermione with a wide grin as she opened the door. She gave him a big hug and brought him in. Ron was sitting on the sofa already, and he stood up as Harry entered. He gave Harry a big hug, and asked how he was doing.

"I've been better," said Harry. "But I'm feeling better than I have been."

He sat down with Ron on the sofa, and looked around Hermione's sitting room. On her mantle were three pictures. One was a Muggle photograph of her and her parents, which made Harry smile. They were terrific people. Harry had met them several times after Hogwarts, and was very impressed by them. The second picture was a wizard photograph of Hermione and her fiancée, Devin. He had his arms around her and was kissing the top of her head as she laughed, presumably at something the photographer had said. Looking at that picture, Harry felt a sharp pang of sorrow in his gut. The third picture, however, was one of Harry's favorites. It was a wizard photograph taken by Colin Creevey of Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Harry and Ron both had their arms around Hermione's shoulders, and they were horsing around. Harry missed those days. They weren't simple times, far from it, but they had time for just horsing around every now and then. Admittedly, it was a dangerous time, but they still managed to have some fun. He looked at Ron and Hermione and smiled.

"That's what I like to see, Harry," said Hermione cheerfully. "A smile on your face." She plopped down next to him on the sofa and put her arm on his shoulder. "Happy Christmas, Harry."

"Happy Christmas, Hermione," he said, and his face felt like it was in a completely new shape, it had been that long since he had really smiled. "And to you too, Ron," he added for good measure.

"Let me get everybody something to drink," said Ron, standing up.

"Oh, no you don't, Ron," said Hermione, quickly standing up and pushing him back towards the sofa, a smile spread across her entire face. "Last time you tried to do something in my kitchen, you broke three glasses and bent a spoon. I'll get it."

Ron shrugged as Hermione walked into the kitchen. A minute later, she emerged with three glasses of eggnog. Handing one each to Harry and Ron, she raised her glass in a toast.

"To friendship," she said softly.

"To friendship," echoed Harry and Ron.

Harry felt a warmth permeate his body as he drank his eggnog, but he knew it wasn't his drink. It was his friends. Maybe he really wasn't so alone after all.

Author's Note: Okay, I just want to say that I appreciate all of the reviews I did get for this story, and I would like to explicitly thank BeaumontRulz for being my best reader, and indeed my greatest fan. I owe you a lot, Alex. You have reviewed every single one of my stories, and given me loads of encouragement. I appreciate everything you've done for me. This is the last story I'm planning on posting on this website. I have moved to and if any of you care, my username is haljordan. Thanks to all of you who review, and also to all of you who read this, even if you didn't review. I appreciate that you took time out of your day to let me have some kind of influence on you. So long, and thanks for all the Fish.


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